Talking Sports: I've talked with Babe Ruth ... sort of

I've spoken to Babe Ruth – almost.

Not long ago, I read an excerpt from a book about Babe Ruth's called shot in the 1932 World Series. As part of his research the author, Ed Sherman, spoke with Ruth's 96-year-old adopted daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens.

Sherman told Stevens what a "thrill" it was to be speaking with her. After a quip of the kind one might expect from "The Babe" himself, the old woman told Sherman, "People always say, 'It's such an honor to meet you.' I know they're saying that because I'm Babe Ruth's daughter and that's the closest they'll ever get to Daddy."

Of course Stevens is right. She's a self-aware woman who knows that her special connection with the greatest baseball player that ever lived is an irresistible lure. She knows that Ruth is adored not only for his extraordinary accomplishments on the baseball field, but also his larger-than-life personality.

Fortunately for the baseball and Babe loving world she enjoys talking about "Daddy."

Speaking with Mrs. Stevens is kind of like the "Six Degrees of Separation" parlor game. Only in talking with Stevens, you're only one degree away from the great Bambino.

Before I ever heard of that degrees of separation thing, a similar concept crossed my mind in 1996. When I spoke to John and Larry Gardner Jr. at John's home in South Burlington, Vt., I thought then it would probably be the closest I would ever come to speaking with the Sultan of Swat personally.

John and Larry Jr. were the sons of Larry Gardner. Who you say? Gardner Sr. had an impressive 17-year major league career and played on four world championship teams as the starting third baseman. He was on three title winning teams with the Boston Red Sox (1912, 1915 and 1916) and another with the 1920 Cleveland Indians. He was a teammate of Ruth during his years with the Red Sox.

I met with Gardner's sons because Enosburg Falls, Vt., was holding a day to celebrate their native son. At that time, Gardner had recently been selected by the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) as the greatest baseball player to ever come from the state of Vermont. I was charged with writing a feature story on Gardner and a preview of the festive events to come.

Ruth reportedly said of Gardner that he was the greatest third baseman he ever saw. Meanwhile, Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers fretted that Gardner was the only player he couldn't beat with a drag bunt.

Gardner finished his career with a .289 lifetime batting average, hit at least .300 five times and drove in more than 100 runs twice. He remains in the top-10 in two Red Sox all-time offensive categories (triples and stolen bases) despite playing in Boston for just 10 seasons. From what I could understand, he was respected as one of the best defensive players of his day.

Gardner had the last at bat in the 1912 World Series. It was Gardner's 10th inning sacrifice fly in the ninth game off of the great Christy Mathewson that clinched the Red Sox World Series title over the New York Giants.

Naturally, when talking to Gardner's sons, I wanted to find out all about their father. But, of course, I couldn't help but ask a few questions about Mr. George Herman Ruth. The son's told me that Gardner didn't talk a lot about his baseball life.

With a degree in Chemistry from the University of Vermont, Gardner was an educated man. Not exactly what you would consider a kindred spirt for Ruth – or many of the other ball players of the day.

But the two got along very well. Gardner liked the Babe and enjoyed his company. Gardner, it seemed, could get along with just about anybody.

"He has a disposition as sweet as the wildflowers that grow on the mountains of Vermont," wrote Boston Globe sportswriter T.H. Murnane in 1915.

But Mrs. Gardner – now that was a different story. Margaret Forney Gardner, I was told, was much more vocal about The Babe. Mrs. Gardner was a socialite and well schooled in the proper graces.

"Mother didn't like Babe Ruth at all," Larry, Jr. told me. "She once told of a time at a cocktail party when she was sipping a drink when The Babe came up behind her. Said Babe after slapping her back, 'How ya doing Maggie!' Mother just cringed and said, 'Oooh, that Babe Ruth is such an uncouth man.'"

Wow, doesn't that just sound like The Babe. You rascal you. And you know it has to be true. Because I got it from the guy who's mother was the wife of the guy who knew Babe personally. Cool.

I was just two degrees from talking to the great Babe himself.